Vajapayee Arogya Shree programme which intends to provide health benefits to patients suffering from various health disorders belonging to Below Poverty Line was extended to Kodagu district on Saturday.

Thousands of people from all over the district participated in the inaugural programme of the Vajapayee Arogya Shree Yojana at Virajpet Junior College grounds on Saturday. The medical treatments which cost lakhs of rupees are offered free of cost to the patients with BPL cards under the Arogya Shree Yojana. As many as 69,000 people in Kodagu district will be benefitted from the scheme.

On the inaugural day, separate counters were opened for offering treatment to heart related problems, cancer, nerve diseases, kidney, paediatry etc. Apart from the MBBS doctors, even Ayurveda doctors participated in the camp to offer check-up and treatment to patients. Teams of doctors from BJS Apollo Hospital Mysore, Fr Muller Medical College Mangalore, Kaveri Hospital Mysore took part in the camp. Free bus and food facilities were provided to the participants.

Inaugurating the programme, Health and Family Welfare Minister Aravind Limbavali said that State government has been attempting to improve the health status of the people by introducing various schemes like Janani Suraksha, Madilu, Arogya Kavacha and others. Over 20 lakh people from eight districts under Mysore region can avail the benefit of Vajapayee Arogya Shree scheme, he said.

Giving a call to the doctors fleeing abroad to return to India, he said the shortage of doctors in the nation could be met only when the doctors working abroad return to their motherland.

District-in-Charge Minister Appachu Ranjan said hat the process of submitting application for BPL card will begin in the district on November 27 and people could make use of the opportunity.

Assembly Speaker K G Bopaiah presided over the programme.